Military of Lebanon
Category: Lebanon The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية al-Quwa'at al-Musalha al-Lubna'aniya) is the military of the Republic of Lebanon. Various paramilitary militias continue to exist in Lebanon as a direct challenge to the authority of the central government. Lebanese Armed Forces The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) is the official armed forces of the Republic of Lebanon. The strength of the LAF is weakened by the fractious political situtation and the predominance of militias that challenge its authority. Units '' Republican Guard Brigade'' The Republican Guard Brigade is responsible for the security of the Directorate-General of the Presidency of Lebanon. The brigade comprises two infantry battalions, one support battalion, and one logistics battalion. The brigade is located at Baabda in northern Lebanon - also the location of the Baabda Palace, headquarters of the President of Lebanon. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Baabda, Lebanon : Manpower: 2000 : Tanks: 6 M48A5 Commando Regiment The LAF Commando Regiment, also called Maghaweer (Arabic: فوج المغاوير Fawj al-Maghaweer‎) is noted for its Tiger stripe uniforms and its claret berets. The Maghaweer have been a component of the Lebanese military since 1966 and they are considered to be the elite of the nation's military. The regiment is located at Roumieh, northeast of Beirut. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Roumieh, Lebanon : Manpower: 1000 Sixth Mechanized Brigade The Sixth Mechanized Brigade is located at the Mohammad Zgheib military base in Sidon, southern Lebanon. The brigade comprises 2 infantry battalions, 1 armored battalion, 1 support battalion, and 1 logistics battalion. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Sidon, Lebanon : Manpower: 1500 : Tanks: 4 M48A1 Tenth Mechanized Brigade The Tenth Mechanized Brigade is located at the Shikri Ghanem military base in Fayadiyeh, a suburb of Beirut. The brigade comprises 2 infantry battalions, 1 armored battalion, 1 support battalion, and 1 logistics battalion. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Fayadiyeh, Lebanon : Manpower: 2000 : Tanks: 6 T-55/Tiran-55 Second Artillery Regiment The Second Artillery Reigment is located at the Nohra al-Shalouhi military base in Batroun, northern Lebanon. The regiment is equipped with the M101 105mm howitzer, the D-30 122mm howitzer, and the BM-21 122mm multiple-launch rocket system. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Batroun, Lebanon : Manpower: 1000 Northern Reserve Regiment The LAF Northern Reserve Regiment is located at the Bahjat Ghanem military base in Tripoli, northern Lebanon. The reserve regiment is responsible for inducting conscripts into the LAF, basic and advanced training, and for internal security of the Tripoli area. : Subordination: Lebanese Armed Forces : Current Location: Tripoli, Lebanon : Manpower: 1500 : Tanks: 3 AMX-13 Militias Pro-Islamist Hezbollah The Hezbollah militia is a Shi'a Islamic fundamentalist grouping, originally trained and supported by Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Anti-Islamist Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces, also known as the Phalange, are a right-wing Maronite Christian militia. South Lebanon Army The South Lebanon Army is a Maronite Christian militia the is supported by the Israeli military. Socialist/Communist Progressive Socialist Party The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) is, officially, an ideologically secular and non-sectarian party, but in practice is led and supported mostly by followers of the Druze faith. The PSP seeks to remain neutral in terms of pro-Islamist and anti-Islamist conflict, but is generally considered to be more hostile towards the Israeli and anti-Islamist grouping. Lebanese Communist Party The Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) militia is known as the Popular Guard. Its leadership has suffered from a series of assassinations by Islamic fundamentalists. The LCP seeks to remain neutral in terms of pro-Islamist and anti-Islamist conflict, but is generally considered to be more hostile towards the Israeli and anti-Islamist grouping.